THE SPORTS ADVISORS
Denver (17-7, 15-8-1 ATS) at Houston (15-9, 12-12 ATS)
The red-hot Nuggets complete a quick two-game Texas road trip tonight when they visit the Toyota Center for a battle with the Rockets, who have won four straight home games.
Denver traveled to Dallas on Monday and knocked off the Mavericks 98-88 as a two-point road underdog. The Nuggets have won four in a row and seven out of eight, and they’re 16-4 since acquiring point guard Chauncey Billups from the Pistons in exchange for Allen Iverson. George Karl’s club is also 6-2 ATS in its last eight overall and has won four straight on the road (3-1 ATS). Finally, although they fell just short of the century mark last night, the Nuggets have still scored in triple digits eight times in their last 10 contests.
Houston has been idle since Saturday’s 95-82 loss at the Clippers as a four-point road chalk. The Rockets are still 8-4 SU in their last 12 (7-5 ATS), and they’ve lost consecutive games just once all season. Rick Adelman’s squad has been inconsistent offensively, scoring 100 points or more just nine times in 24 games, but it has accomplished that feat three times in its last four at home.
The home team has dominated this rivalry since the start of last season, going 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS, and the winner has scored at least 103 points in each of the last seven meetings. That includes Denver’s 104-94 rout as a 3½-point home chalk on Nov. 30, with Billups (game highs of 28 points and 10 assists) stealing the show.
Also in this rivalry, the SU winner is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 clashes, and despite last month’s loss in Denver, Houston has gotten the money in seven of the last 10 meetings, going 3-1 SU and ATS when hosting the Nuggets.
Denver has failed to cash in eight of its last 12 games against winning teams, but otherwise is on positive ATS streaks of 11-3 versus the Southwest Division, 4-0-1 on Tuesdays and 5-1 when playing on consecutive nights. The Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last five against the Northwest Division, but 6-1 ATS in their last seven versus teams with a winning overall record.
The over is on runs of 8-3 for Denver overall, 6-3 for Denver against the Western Conference, 9-3 for Denver on Tuesdays, 9-3 for Houston overall, 6-1 for Houston against the West and 4-0 for Houston when playing on two days’ rest. However, the under is 13-4 in the Rockets’ last 17 games inside the Toyota Center, 6-1 in their last seven on Tuesdays and 4-1 in the last five meetings between these teams in Houston.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DENVER
New Orleans (13-7, 9-10-1 ATS) at Memphis (9-15, 11-12-1 ATS)
The suddenly surging Grizzlies go for their fifth consecutive victory and look to snap a six-game losing skid to the division-rival Hornets when these teams clash at the Fed Ex Forum.
Memphis dumped the Heat 102-86 as a two-point home underdog for its fourth straight win and cover, which comes on the heels of a 2-12 SU and 3-11 ATS slump. The Grizzlies, who reached triple digits in scoring just five times in their first 20 games, have topped the century mark in each of their last four games. Rookie O.J. Mayo, who had 28 points in Sunday’s win over Miami, has scored in double figures in every game this season and he’s averaging 20.8 points per game.
The Hornets tonight cap a three-game road trip that started with Friday’s 94-82 loss at Boston as a seven-point underdog, followed by Sunday’s 99-91 win at Toronto as a two-point road chalk. In Sunday’s victory, New Orleans drained 12 of 33 attempts from 3-point range as four of five starters scored in double figures.
New Orleans was the last team to beat Memphis, winning 106-87 and covering as a 14½-point home favorite back on Dec. 6 in the season’s first meeting between these rivals. The Hornets have won six straight and nine of the last 10 against the Grizzlies, but Memphis is 4-3 ATS in the last seven after going 1-3 ATS in the previous four. The underdog has cashed in five of the last seven head-to-head battles.
New Orleans is on ATS runs of 4-1 overall, 6-0 as a favorite, 4-0 as a road chalk, 8-2-1 on Tuesdays and 40-16 versus teams with a losing record. However, the Hornets are just 2-5 ATS In their last seven against divisional foes. Meanwhile, Memphis has chased in four straight home games, five consecutive games when playing on one day of rest and four of its last five as an underdog, but otherwise the Grizzlies are in ATS funks of 16-36 after a SU win, 3-7 against the Western Conference, 1-4 in Southwest Division contests, 1-6 on Tuesdays and 7-21 after scoring at least 100 points in the previous game.
The over is 13-3 in the last 16 clashes in this rivalry, with the last five played in Memphis topping the total. Also, the over is on runs of 12-5 for the Grizzlies overall, 20-7 for the Grizzlies on Tuesdays, 6-1 for the Grizzlies against the Western Conference, 11-0 for New Orleans against teams with a losing record and 4-1 for New Orleans as a favorite.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NEW ORLEANS and OVER
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
South Florida (3-4, 4-2 ATS) vs. Vanderbilt (6-3, 3-4 ATS) (at Nashville)
Vanderbilt ventures a short distance from its campus arena in Nashville when it battles South Florida, which brings a three-game losing streak into the Sommet Center.
The Commodores snapped a two-game slide with Wednesday’s 78-55 rout of Alabama A&M in a non-lined home game. Vanderbilt has scored at least 70 points in five of its six victories while averaging just 56.3 ppg in its three defeats. Defensively, the Commodores have held all but one foe to less than 70 points.
The Bulls followed up a tough 78-77 overtime loss at UAB with consecutive upset losses to Central Florida (73-61 as a 1½-point road favorite Dec. 6) and Niagra (70-55 as a five-point home chalk Sunday). After giving up an average only 51.6 ppg in its first four contests, South Florida has yielded 70-plus points in each of its last three outings.
South Florida is winless in three road games this year, but 2-1 ATS. Meanwhile, the Commodores are just 4-2 as a designated home team, going 1-3 ATS in lined home contests.
The Bulls are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 non-conference games, but they’re on ATS slides of 2-5 on Tuesdays, 6-18-1 after a SU loss and 4-13-1 after a non-cover. Vanderbilt is on pointspread streaks of 5-1 on Tuesdays, 4-0 at home against teams with a losing road record and 5-1 when coming off a victory of 20 points or more.
For South Florida, the under is on streaks of 7-3 on the road, 7-1 on Tuesdays, 8-3 after a SU defeat and 5-1 after an ATS setback. Vanderbilt is on under stretches of 4-0-1 overall (all in non-conference play) and 5-1-1 at home, but the over is 5-1 in the Commodores’ last six games against the Big East and 9-4 in their last 13 on Tuesday.
ATS ADVANTAGE: VANDERBILT
(24) Marquette (8-1, 2-3 ATS) vs. (16) Tennessee (6-2, 3-3-1 ATS) (at Nashville)
Tennessee looks to bounce back from Saturday’s upset loss at Temple when it travels across the state for a non-conference neutral-site battle with Marquette in a meeting of Top 25 teams.
The Volunteers went to Temple as an eight-point favorite but were never in the contest, falling behind by nine points at halftime and eventually succumbing 88-72. Bruce Pearl’s squad struggled on both ends of the court, shooting just 36.5 percent on offense (6-for-26 on 3-pointers) and allowing the Owls to make 55.4 percent of their shots (8-for-20 on 3-pointers), while also getting outrebounded, 35-30.
Since a 5-0 start, Tennessee has lost two of its last three, including an 83-74 neutral-site loss to No. 9 Gonzaga on Nov. 30. Prior to that defeat, the Vols beat then-No. 21 Georgetown 90-78 in their only other game against a Top 25 opponent.
Marquette has rebounded from its only loss of the season – an 89-75 neutral-site defeat to Dayton – with three straight wins, including Saturday’s 69-50 rout of Indiana/Purdue-Fort Wayne. There was no line in Saturday’s contest, but the Golden Eagles have failed to cover in three straight games (all as a favorite). Tonight marks their first game of the season against a Top 25 opponent.
These schools last met in November 2001, with Marquette rolling to an 85-74 victory as a 2½-point road underdog.
Both teams have been sensational offensively this year, with the Golden Eagles averaging 81 points per game (44.8 percent shooting) and Tennessee putting up 85.2 ppg (47.1 percent). Defensively, Marquette (67.8 ppg, 42 percent) rates a slight edge over the Vols (73.4 ppg, 43.8 percent).
Marquette is on ATS upticks of 8-2 away from home, 4-1 against the SEC and 7-3 on Tuesdays, while Tennessee is 1-4 ATS in its last five versus the Big East and 4-10 ATS in its last 14 following a SU defeat.
The over is 41-19-2 in the Eagles’ last 62 on the highway and 4-0 in their last four versus the SEC. Conversely, Tennessee is on under runs of 9-4 in non-conference play, 6-1 against the Big East and 5-2 on Tuesdays.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MARQUETTE
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